1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to a telephone billing system. More particularly, the present invention is directed to providing the most cost-effective long-distance telephone service based on a comparison of at least two service plans.
2. Background Information
There are typically two types of long-distance telephone service providers: sellers and resellers. Sellers typically provide long-distance telephone service to individual accounts, such as companies, individuals and/or resellers. Resellers typically sell their service to a plurality of accounts and, in the aggregate, are able to obtain a volume discount from the seller which is passed along to their accounts. Thus, resellers can offer an account a volume discount rate regardless of the account's relative size, since the reseller obtains volume discounts by aggregating a plurality of accounts.
Each long-distance telephone service provider typically offers a variety of service plans, each plan being theoretically tailored to a specific type of account. Given the vast number of plans available, it is often very difficult for an account manager to analyze all possible service plans and to choose the absolute best plan for their needs. Further, given changing long-distance telephone usage by the account, the initial choice may not be the best choice as usage changes.
Systems are known which analyze what the cost of a call would be if placed by two different providers, and places the call with the provider who offers the lowest cost thereof. These systems, however, are inadequate for several reasons. They operate on a call-by-call basis, ignoring the advantages inherent in aggregating billing schemes. Additionally, they require a connection to both providers whose cost of the call is being compared. The latter requirement is not only costly, but becomes rather impractical where a plurality of providers are to be compared.
Accordingly, there is utility for a billing system which can analyze long-distance telephone calls in the aggregate, compare the cost thereof between at least two different providers, charge the account based on the lowest cost, and not require connection to those providers whose costs are being compared.